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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29703459">Not Alone</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/elephantsofmemory/pseuds/elephantsofmemory'>elephantsofmemory</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, after MAG159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:42:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29703459</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/elephantsofmemory/pseuds/elephantsofmemory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jon takes care of Martin after rescuing him from the Lonely.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>103</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jon didn’t really know how he dragged Martin and himself out. A lot of the things he did were like that these days. Their way out of the Lonely, through the winding tunnels and back into the Archive was a blur, too slippery for his exhausted and confused mind to grasp.</p>
<p>Martin had been in his arms since he had caught him, whimpering and holding tighter every time Jon loosened his grip. Jon didn’t want to let him go anyways, Martin’s warm body pressed into his side a welcome reminder that he had won him back, they had beaten the Lonely, they weren’t going to be apart again.</p>
<p>He ended up guiding them into the Archive storage on pure instinct. Really, where else could they go? The consequences of the power struggle and Peter Lukas’s death were still to be determined, and the Archive was where they had always been safest. The cot that had been Martin’s, what felt like a thousand years ago, was still in the same spot, though Jon didn’t remember who occupied it these days. It was a welcome sight all the same.</p>
<p>He sat Martin gently on the end of the cot. Martin was shivering and protested wordlessly when Jon let him go to stand up. “Don’t worry,” said Jon softly, squeezing Martin’s hand. “I’ll be right back, I promise. Just sit tight, okay?”</p>
<p>“O-okay,” mumbled Martin, his gaze apprehensive.</p>
<p>“Two seconds,” said Jon, throwing one last look over his shoulder at Martin before closing the door behind him. He didn’t want to leave Martin for longer than necessary (or even for one second, if he was being honest with himself), but he needed to make sure they were safe for now.</p>
<p>To his relief he didn’t meet anyone on his way through the corridors of the Archive. He stopped in his office to pick up the extra blankets he kept there, as well as a tape recorder – even though he knew it was entirely pointless, another one would manifest sooner or later. He all but sprinted back to the storage room, only stopping to check that the door was properly locked before rushing back to the corner of the room where the cot was.</p>
<p>Martin had gotten up and was pacing in small circles next to the cot, his eyes closed and wringing his hands nervously. He was muttering under his breath – Jon made out the words “he’ll be back” and “not alone” before he dropped the blankets, took two long strides and gathered Martin into his arms.</p>
<p>Martin let out a gasp and tensed before relaxing into Jon and burrowing his face in his chest. “I was afraid-“ he choked.</p>
<p>“Shh. I know. I’m here,” said Jon, wrapping his arms tightly around Martin’s shaking body. “I’m not leaving you.”</p>
<p>Martin nodded, though he kept his face to Jon’s chest and showed no sign he was willing to move. Jon shifted and bent awkwardly to pick up the blankets, keeping one arm around Martin. The tape recorder clattered to the floor, but he paid it no mind. He maneuvered Martin and himself to sit down on the cot, unfolded the blankets one-handed and draped them over them. Then he gently coaxed Martin to lie down next to him without loosening his grip.</p>
<p>The cot was definitely not made for two grown men to lie in, but Jon didn’t care in the slightest. Pressed together as they were, he could feel the warmth of Martin’s body all along his own, the reassuring weight of him in his arms, and the warm puffs of his breath against the hollow of his throat. He nestled his chin on top of Martin’s head and shifted his palms to lie flat against his back, content to just hold Martin, to let it sink in that he was finally back with Jon, where he belonged.</p>
<p>He didn’t know how long they lay there. After a while, Martin’s hands unclenched and he relaxed into Jon’s arms. His shivering subsided and his breathing slowed, and he shifted to burrow deeper into the blankets until only the top of his head peeked out over the top. When Martin let out a contented sigh, Jon smiled into his hair and squeezed him gently.</p>
<p>When he felt one of Martin’s thumbs rubbing along his spine, Jon froze. It was such a tiny, gentle gesture that it struck him to his core. His whole world seemed to narrow to Martin’s thumb traveling in small strokes along his back, this deliberate gesture of love and tenderness, this entirely conscious sign that Martin wanted him here, wanted him close.</p>
<p>While Jon was still trying to process this new feeling, Martin shifted his head to press closer into the hollow of Jon’s throat. Then Jon felt the featherlight press of lips to his throat, just for a moment, and something that felt like static electricity crossed with fluttering animals exploded in his stomach.</p>
<p>He let out an entirely involuntary, shuddering sigh, and Martin kissed him again, this time a bit higher on his throat. Jon held his body still, willing Martin to go on, to never stop, willing this moment to last forever.</p>
<p>The next kiss landed on his chin, and now he felt Martin drawing himself up so they were face to face. Jon’s eyes were still tightly closed, and he was not sure he’d have the strength to open them, until he felt Martin’s hand on his cheek. When Martin’s thumb began to stroke his cheek like it had his back just minute’s before Jon’s eyes snapped open, staring desperately into Martin’s face.</p>
<p>What he found there was the love and tenderness that Martin’s hands and lips had already conveyed to him. When his eyes found Martin’s Jon gasped, his breath taken away by his own love he saw mirrored there, the unequivocal want and acceptance overwhelming his doubts and fears. He could do nothing but stare in wonder as Martin smiled gently and moved his head closer, an invitation, waiting for Jon to get his bearings, always so considerate.</p>
<p>Suddenly John could not bear the feeling of not kissing Martin. He moved his head forward to touch his forehead against Martin’s and finally, finally found Martin’s lips with his own.</p>
<p>They were soft, and gentle, and asked for only as much as Jon could give. Martin’s hand on his cheek anchored him, even as Jon felt like his body was turning to water, flowing out through his lips to show Martin everything he held inside for him.</p>
<p>He could not say how long their kiss lasted, but when they parted Jon’s lips were tingling and his heart was fluttering with the tenderness and the happiness of it all. Martin was still looking at him, stroking his face and smiling his tender smile. Jon smiled back, nestling his forehead back against Martin’s and drawing him closer into his arms, thinking that for all he did not know what the future held, for now it was enough to be together, whole, and not, not ever, alone.</p>
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